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San-Francisco Chronicle: Terrafugia Nears FAA Certification for Bay-Area Flying-Car Prototype

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  //automotive-transportation.news-articles.net/co .. ification-for-bay-area-flying-car-prototype.html
  Published in Automotive and Transportation on Tuesday, December 16th 2025 at 14:14 GMT by Patch

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San‑Francisco Chronicle — A Quick Take on the Bay Area’s Flying‑Car Breakthrough

When you think of the San Francisco Bay Area, images of cable cars, the Golden Gate Bridge, and tech‑savvy coffee shops usually come to mind. Yet, this week’s local news has flipped the script: a Bay‑Area startup has moved one decisive step closer to turning the long‑standing dream of flying cars into a practical, mass‑produced reality. The company—Terrafugia, headquartered in Santa Rosa, a short drive north of San Francisco—has announced that its flagship prototype, the Transition, is on the cusp of receiving final FAA certification and is poised to begin limited production, paving the way for a new era of “urban air mobility.”

A Road‑able Aircraft with a Flying Ambition

Terrafugia’s Transition is not a “flying car” in the sense of a compact, street‑legal automobile that suddenly lifts off the ground; rather, it’s a hybrid road‑aircraft that can glide on roads as a conventional vehicle and then switch to vertical take‑off and landing (VTOL) mode when it’s time to hit the skies. The design incorporates a tilt‑rotor system that can be used for lift and forward propulsion, enabling the Transition to accelerate, climb, and cruise at up to 200 mph while still carrying a single passenger in a cockpit that resembles a typical car’s.

The company’s development process has spanned a decade, beginning with the Transition’s maiden flight in 2011. Over the years, Terrafugia has refined its aerodynamic envelope, electrical powertrain, and safety systems to meet the stringent standards set by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). The latest update is that the Transition has finally passed a critical “flight‑testing” milestone, after which the FAA is set to grant it a “Type Certification,” the final regulatory approval that would allow the manufacturer to scale up production and sell the vehicle commercially.

The Road to Mass Production

Mass production is a far‑cryer hurdle for any new aviation platform, especially one that straddles the automotive and aerospace industries. Terrafugia’s CEO, Kirk McKinley, told Patch.com that the company has secured a $150 million Series C funding round led by Bain Capital and a portfolio of strategic partners, including Airbus and Boeing’s urban‑mobility divisions. The capital will be used to set up a dedicated production line at the company’s existing facility in Santa Rosa, as well as to support the certification process.

McKinley also highlighted a crucial partnership with Boeing’s “Urban Air Mobility” (UAM) initiative, which has been pushing the envelope for electric VTOL aircraft. “We’ve been working closely with Boeing to leverage their manufacturing expertise and supply chain networks,” he said. “Their involvement is a key factor that will accelerate our timeline toward mass production.”

Another pivotal step is the development of a new battery pack that can deliver the 25‑hour flight endurance needed for practical daily use while keeping the overall vehicle weight under 1,200 pounds. The battery is a lightweight lithium‑ion architecture designed in collaboration with Tesla Energy, which provides advanced thermal management and charging solutions.

Regulatory Landscape: The FAA’s Evolving Rules

The article also dives into the FAA’s evolving regulatory framework for “flying cars” and VTOL aircraft. In a linked piece from the FAA’s official website, the agency explains that it has introduced a new “Experimental Airworthiness Certificate” program to streamline the testing of innovative aircraft that don’t fit traditional categories. This new program provides a faster, more cost‑effective route for manufacturers like Terrafugia to gather data and refine their designs before moving to full certification.

Terrafugia’s engineers are also working on “Urban Air Mobility” (UAM) infrastructure requirements, such as “vertiport” designs and traffic‑management systems that could be integrated into the Bay Area’s existing transportation network. The company has submitted a preliminary design for a small, rooftop vertiport that could fit on the grounds of a San Francisco‑area commercial building, thus enabling a seamless “car‑to‑air” transition for users.

Public Reception and Future Prospects

The local media and public are abuzz with speculation about the potential of a flying car to ease traffic congestion, cut commute times, and revolutionize logistics. The Transition is envisioned as a “high‑speed, low‑noise, zero‑emission” alternative to the city’s traffic grid, especially for short‑haul trips that would otherwise involve 15‑minute to an hour‑long drive. Some environmental groups applaud the electric powertrain as a step toward greener transportation, while others caution about safety, noise, and the environmental impact of battery production.

Terrafugia’s spokesperson, Lisa Rodriguez, emphasized that the company is “committed to safety and sustainability.” She noted that the Transition will undergo “extensive, independent testing,” and that the company will work with city planners to establish comprehensive safety protocols before the first vehicles hit the streets.

The Takeaway

In essence, the patch.com article tells us that a Bay‑Area company—Terrafugia—is one step closer to turning the long‑awaited flying‑car concept into a tangible product. With a critical FAA certification milestone reached, a significant influx of capital secured, and a strategic partnership with Boeing, the company is now poised to shift from prototype testing to the beginnings of mass production.

For residents of the Bay Area, the promise is real: a vehicle that can drive to the nearest parking lot, then take off, navigate the city’s aerial corridors, and arrive at a destination within minutes. Whether this vision will become a regular part of the city’s skyline remains to be seen, but the foundation has been laid. As the article reminds us, the next decade could see our roads and skies become integrated, with flying cars serving as the bridge that connects the two.